CRPF jawans beat heat with cocktail of Mango-Milk-Yoga

Varanasi, June 8 (UNI) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans guarding the highly-sensitive Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanwapi complex here are banking on a cocktail of Milk, Mango and Yoga to beat the killer heatwave sweeping the region.

''Heat cannot be conquered with arms or modern weapons. It can be dealt with the power rendered by nature alone,'' said Darshan Lal Gola, Commanding Officer of the Battalion.

Measures including dietary changes by including cool milk products, mango, water melons and other seasonal fruits and replacement of tiring route marches and physical training schedules with Yoga sessions seems to be the answer for preparing the jawans to deal with above normal temperatures ruling the region.

Jawans in long hours of duty on roof tops and giant watch towers at the complex leave the Battalion headquaters at Paharia with a complete diet including frothing 'lassi,' salty 'mathha' or even ice-creams. Scoops of mango and other seasonal fruits are also a must on the diet chart, which includes solid and liquid food in equal proportions.

While at the complex, the jawans are provided with bouts of lemon juice. Two jawans have been exclusively entrusted the responsibility of ensuring that every CRPF jawan on duty at the complex consumes the refreshing drink for minimising chances of electrolyte imbalance in the body, Mr Gola added.

The jawans return to their camps at Paharia only to be welcomed with refreshing Lassi and Butter Milk and then rest in the comfort of desert coolers. ''As many as 150 desert coolers have been installed in the camps and air-conditioned comfort has been provided at the two recreational rooms for maximum comfort to the jawans deployed in the high profile duty,'' Mr Gola maintained.

Mr Gola further claimed his battalion is perhaps the first CRPF batallion which has provided AC-comfort to its jawans.

Besides initiating dietary changes, the power of Yoga has also been utilised to condition jawans for bearing the intense heat with ease.

A Yoga Guru from Allahabad, Swami Pragyanand imparted 10-day special training to the jawans at the Battalion headquarters recently, especially those suffering from hypertension and depression.

''I imparted them training for better breathing, recharging the body's energy as well as maintaining their fitness levels in the want of rigorous exercises like route marches which have been shelved during the hot summer.'' Special Yoga classes were arranged for those suffering with hypertension and depression and special dietary arrangements have also been made for that group of jawans, Mr Gola said.

While the CRPF jawans are banking on the power of Mango-Milk and Yoga to beat the heat, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans deployed in security at the Varanasi Airport are using the time-tested remedy of 'panna' prepared from green mangoes, mint and lemon to beat the heat, CISF sources said.

UNI